Aquatic resources and feed diversification:Reviewing three case studies from South East Asia with a viewpoint of trophic intensification in rice fish cultureOA

Management of fed-fish culture practices,at present,stands on two broad feed categories,(i)formulated proteinaceous aquafeeds and(ii)the natural resources.Judicious use of the later is gaining popularity since it offers sustainability to fish culture.Polyculture often targets phyto-and zooplanktonic resources,but mostly ignores periphyton.This review discusses the works on feed diversification performed independently at different times.Fishes,viz.Cyprinus carpio,Labeo rohita and Amblypharyngodon mola were projected as potential candidates for resource-nutrient management with feed diversification in rice fish culture.With C.carpio the rice fish culture called Aji Gnui Assonii in terrace water-logged rice field of Apatani Plateau,Arunachal Pradesh(India)is referred as self-substrating aquaculture practice.This monoculture practice experiences high carp productivity since there remains surplus of resources below the threshold level in these rice fields.Similarly,L.rohita,explores periphytic resources in ponds when substrates are installed.As a result,filter feeders get more foraging aquatic phase intensifying the resources for exploration in pond.This concept is suggested for rice fields with water depth above 50 cm where rice stems act as substrate.With trenches or refuge canals,resource intensification may be managed for more cultivable fishes in rice fields with<50 cm water depth.This model of resource intensification further allows inclusion of Small Indigenous Fish Species(SIFs)-which are rich source of many micronutrients.Thus,integration of SIFs confers huge potentiality for intensification of nutrients,especially protein and micronutrients in rice fields.